Lapel button



lJune 22, 1943. I C, F. MITCHL LAPEL BUTTON Filed 'May 23, 1942 Patented June 22, 1943 -f LAPEL BUTTON Charles F. Mitchel, Rochester, N. Y., assigner to` Bastian Brothers Company, Rochester,` N. Y., a corporation of New York applicati@ April ze, 1942, serial No. 440,23?.

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to lapel buttons and more particularly to display articles of personal wear .commonly known as lapel buttons which are adapted to carry thereon an insignia, slogan, portrait or other identication, emblem, advertising literature and the like.

The principal object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the general construction of lapel buttons of the type set forth above and to dispense with the more complicated type of fastening devices ordinarily employed in connection with such buttons many of which require materials that are, due to the present emergency, restricted and therefore difficult to obtain. More specifically, it is an object of the present in vention to provide a lapel button in which the principal fastening means employed is in the form of an ordinary conventional type `of pin which is readily obtainable and which is very inexpensive.

A further object of the invention is to provide ailapel button which employs a common commercial or conventional type of pin for its fastening means and in which the pin is easily installed and, when once installed, is securely held or locked against dislodgement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lapel button employing a common pin for its fastening means and in which the pin, should it become bent or otherwise damaged, may readily be replaced by another pin without necessitating discarding or replacing any portion of the lapel button proper. In carrying out this object the invention contemplates the provision of a twopiece button, one of the pieces carrying the fastening pin, and the two pieces being readily separable if desired by a simple manual operation.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a lapel button provided at the back with means for slidably receiving a pin and having a hole of any size and shape to receive the head of the pin and provided also with a raised portion or protuberance of any suitable type to be engaged by the pin to hold the head thereof in interlocked relation with said hole to form a lock to prevent the pin from becoming accidentally detached from the back of the button and also to clamp tightly the cloth of a garment between the pin and the raised portion or protuberance.

The provision of a lapel button which is capable l of being manufactured in large quantities at a low cost, one which is ornamental and attractive in its appearance, and one which is rugged and durable and which is therefore unlikely to get out of order are further desirable features that have been borne in mind in the production and development of the present invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming` a part of this speciiication, one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated.

In the drawing: l

Figure l is a rear plan View of a lapel buttonl constructed according to the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear plan view of a backing plate employed in connection with the invention.

Figure 3 is an expanded sectional vie-w taken diametrically through the button.

Figure 4 is an exploded view illustrating the parts of the lapel button.

ln all of the above described views, like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts throughout.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the lapel button involves in its general organization a cup-shaped display member which is designated in its entirety at I0 and which is comprised of two parts, namely a cup-shaped metal disc-likeA base plate I2 having a rim portion I4 and asubstantially nat face portion I6.

A veneer strip I8 which may be formed of Celluloid or other plastic material, anged around the rim portion III of the latter is shown at I8.

A suitable adhesive may be employed between the base plate I2 and Veneer strip I8 or, if the material of the strip is sufficiently self-sustaining, the adhesive may be omitted. The veneer strip is adapted to carry thereon a suitable design, as for example, identification characteristics, an emblem, insignia, portrait, advertising literature or the like.

A backing plate 20 of shallow cup-like conguration (see Fig. 3) is adapted to be telescopically received Within the cup-shaped assembly I2. i8 and frictionally removably held within the same. The backing plate 20 is formed with a narrow strap portion 22 which may be struck up from the metal of the plate by a suitable punching operation. A relatively large void 24 of irregular shape is formed on one side of the strap portion 22 and a smaller void in the form of a small hole 26 is formed on the other side of the strap portion and a commercial or conventional form of fastening pin 28 extends through these void portions and beneath the strap 22.

In order to accommodate the head 30 of the pin, a third void 32 of generally triangular or other configuration is formed above the void or hole 26 and the head of the pin is adapted to snap into and seat snugly within this void 32 to lock the pin in position. The void 32 is preferably formed by a hole, which may be of any size or shape but it may be formed in any other desired manner, such as byan indentation.

The void 24 is of such shape that a tongue 32 projects inwardly of the void and is shaped to form a raised portion or bump and serves to frictionally bear against the shank of the pin and assist in holding the same frictionally securely in place and in any event the void or opening 24 is preferably of such shape as to hold dress or suit material under the pin when the button is worn. The raised portion or protuberance, which forms a lock for holding the head of the pin in interlocked relation with the hole or void 32, may be of any desired type.

In assembling the pin upon the backing plate 20 the point of the same is inserted in the hole 26 andthe pin caused to be slid longitudinally beneath the strap 22 until such time as the head 30 thereof snaps into position lrwithin the void 32 due to the inherent resiliency of the pin. The arrangement is such that in installing the pin the latter need not be bent beyond the limit of its elastic or resilient strength. When the pin is finally in position it assumes a straight position and the lower end thereof projects beyond the periphery of the button proper for insertion into the lapel of a garment.

To remove the pin, hold the button face down in the left hand; with the right hand thumb placed under the point of the pin, bend the pin upward and the pin can be very easily removed.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the use of a conventional headed pin is employed as a fastening means for the button and that the fastening pin is easily and readily replaceable. It is to be recognized that while the button face and the backing'plate are preferably frictionally held together in telescopic relation and separable by the use of a knife, pin or the like that they may be permanently connected together, if desired, under certain conditions. The backing plate itself may be manufactured as a separate article of manufacture.

The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as various changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. Only insofar as the invention has particularly been pointed out in the accompanying claims is the same to be limited.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lapel button, a backing plate provided with a pin head receiving seat and having a fab- Y ric receiving opening spaced from said seat, said backing plate being provided between said seat and opening with a projecting strap forming an eye of a size to receive a headed pin and arranged to confine the pin head normally in said seat, the latter having walls arranged to engage the pin head and hold the pin against sliding movement in said eye and maintain the pin in a position extending across the fabric receiving opening so that the pin when passed through fabric .will force the latter into said opening and cause the fabric to resist removal of the lapel button.

2. In a lapel button, a backing plate provided with a pin head receiving aperture and having a fabric receiving opening spaced from said aperture, said backing plate being provided between said aperture and opening with a projecting strap forming an eye of a size to receive a headed pin and arranged to confine the pin head normally in said aperture, the latter having walls arranged to engage Ithe pin head and hold the pin against sliding movement in said eye and maintain the pin in a position extending across the fabric receiving opening so that the pin when passed through fabric will force the latter into said opening and cause the fabric to resist removal of the lapel button, said fabric receiving opening being provided with a projecting tongue extending in the opposite direction to the pointed end of the pin and arranged to engage the fabric forced into said opening to resist displacement of the lapel button.

CHARLES F. MITCHEL. 

